Speech by SJ at PCPD 30th Anniversary Privacy Protection Summit
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the PCPD 30th Anniversary Privacy Protection Summit today (June 16):
Commissioner Chung (Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Ms Ada Chung), Deputy Commissioner Li of the OCMFA (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Mr Li Yongsheng), Director Liu of the LOCPG (Director-General of the Department of Law of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Mr Liu Chunhua), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
A very good morning. It is my great pleasure to join you today for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data(PCPD)'s 30th Anniversary Privacy Protection Summit.
The Summit, an open session of the 65th Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities Forum, brings together some 400 privacy regulators, data-protection experts, industry leaders and academics from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and the Asia-Pacific region. You're here to share perspectives on privacy protection, at a time when digital transformation and artificial intelligence are reshaping societies and economies around the world.
Hong Kong, a key regional hub for the free and orderly flow of information, data, and technology, has a long tradition of rigorously upholding privacy standards.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data was established in 1996 as an independent privacy authority - the earliest of its kind in Asia. Over the past three decades, it has served as a steadfast guardian of personal data privacy. Through concerted enforcement and practical compliance guidance, it has created a privacy-conscious culture in Hong Kong.
Today, in the dawning of the age of artificial intelligence, we continue to ensure that AI is, as mentioned in the Chief Executive's latest Policy Address, "steered by safety and driven by application."
The Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute, which comes into full operation later this year, will drive our innovative AI research and development, as well as its industrial applications.
No less important, it will establish AI standards, building cross-sector and inter-regional AI collaboration platforms to promote AI's standardisation and safe application. The HKSAR Government is, in short, determined to promote the safe and ethical use of AI.
And, as Ada just mentioned, the Hong Kong International Data Privacy Academy officially opens today. The Academy will provide data protection training programmes for organisations, privacy-protection practitioners and others in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and around the world.
The National 15th Five-Year Plan puts a central priority on accelerating innovation. Its Digital China Initiative is designed to empower economic and social progress through digital and intelligent technologies and the expansion of AI+ applications.
But the Plan is also committed to combating data misuse, deep fakes and privacy leaks. It emphasises the importance of privacy protection and cross-border law enforcement co-operation.
As announced by the Chief Executive recently, Hong Kong will unveil its First Five-Year Plan later this year. It will align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, driving Hong Kong's deeper integration into the overall national development.
The theme of this Summit, "Protecting Privacy, Embracing Innovation", smartly captures the vision and goals of the HKSAR Government and our country. Hong Kong is fast emerging as a smart city, powered by emerging technologies, AI very much included.
Over the years, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has performed not only as a regulator, but also as an enabler of responsible innovation.
Public confidence in the privacy and security of new technologies is crucial to their adoption. And the work of the Office is pivotal in instilling public confidence that technology can - and must - be used in an ethical and meaningful way.
The HKSAR Government is committed to supporting the Office as Hong Kong's trusted privacy regulator, and to ensuring it has all the necessary means to rise above the globalised reality of privacy threats.
Of course, no jurisdiction can tackle these challenges alone. Collaboration is essential. It's through events such as this Summit, and the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities Forum which it is part of, that partnerships are created, best practices exchanged, and emerging trends in privacy regulation addressed.
Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a very rewarding Summit and a productive Forum.
And my congratulations, once again, to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, on its landmark 30th anniversary.
Thank you very much.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, Photo source: reference image
